First Date
by icyglass431
Summary: A continuation of chapter 5 of my story "All Is Fair in Love and War" depicting how Lilian and Peter's first date ended. It's not necessary to have read AIFLW before to understand this one shot.


**A/N: Just a small story that shows how Lilian and Peter's first date continued after Luke and Jacob left the pub. It's not absolutely necessary to have read my story "All Is Fair in Love and War" to understand this story.**

* * *

"Sorry for 'at interruption," said Newkirk.

"Nothing to worry about; but where were we?" grinned Lilian.

"I was just about to ask ya when yer brother joined the military" Newkirk took a gulp from his glass.

"Immediately after he finished school," Lilian said. "It was his way of escaping from our parents"

"Well, ya can definitely call 'at escapin'" Newkirk laid his hand on hers, squeezing it gently. "Are yer parent's really 'at bad?"

She sighed. "You have no idea. The only thing they care about is their reputation. Samuel and I are all the same to them; they didn't even bother raising us. Our nanny did that"

"Well, I 'ave to 'and it to yer nanny; she did a marvellous job," Newkirk said to lighten up the mood.

Lilian blushed at his obvious attempt to flirt with her. "Thanks," she smiled sheepishly. "But say, since we're talking about my brother, have you ever considered to join the military?"

Newkirk let go off her hand and brushed with his fingers some hair out of his face. "Never," he laughed. "I'm not the kind of bloke who likes to follow orders. I like to be me own boss, ya know? And I like to try many things out; 'at's why I travelled with a circus for some years after I finished school"

"You travelled with a circus?" she asked interested.

With every new piece of information she got about him, Lilian was more and more interested in Newkirk. He was exciting, had the cutest accent she has ever heard, and most important, he was completely different from all the men she met in London's upper class. Even the men in her age were all tight-lipped and boring, their only achievement in life was that they studied, and all they could think of was making money. But with Newkirk, she had the feeling that she met a man who was able to sway her off her feet.

"I did, and ya can believe me, it was an incredible thrillin' experience. I was part of the crew from 1929 to 1935; roomin with the "Amazin' Bloomingtons". We toured through all of Western and Southern England"

Lilian saw how Newkirk was beaming while he talked about his time with the circus, which made her smile. It was heart-warming to see someone being passionate about their work, or in Newkirk's case, it was more the adventure he was passionate about.

"Who are the "Amazing Bloomingtons"?" she asked.

Newkirk smirked. "Oh, George and Freddie are really two interestin' fellows. Especially if ya take into consideration 'at one of them can't speak"

Lilian gave him a puzzled look, and Newkirk enlightened her. "Freddie is a chimp"

"You roomed with a chimp?" Her eyes lit up. "This must have been amazing"

"It was, and 'e was well-trained. I trained him to tidy up our trailer, so 'at I didn't have to do it"

He smiled at her and they talked a little while longer, getting to know each other better. She was fascinated by his obsession with magic, and he was captured by her stories from her time at the boarding school. After Newkirk had gotten himself another beer, his eyes landed on a dart board hanging on the pub's wall.

He sat down and asked, "Say, do ya want to play a game of darts?"

"I would love to," she answered. "But I never learned how to play"

Newkirk smiled. " 'at's no problem. I can show it to ya"

He stood up and held out his hand, helping Lilian up. Newkirk put his hand on her back and led her to the dart board. He took three darts and positioned himself with some distance in front of the board.

"Ya stand sidewise, with yer upper body slightly turned to the board. Then ya bend over a bit, and aim at the middle" He moved his right hand back and forth. "And then ya just throw the dart"

Newkirk threw the dart, and hit right in the bull's eye. "Ya have 301 or 501 points in the beginnin', and the points ya throw are gettin' subtracted. Winner is who first reduces 'is points to exactly zero"

After he threw the two other darts, he went to the board and removed the darts. He walked back to Lilian and went on explaining. "There are a double and a triple rin' 'at double or triple yer points. So it's not always wise to just aim at the middle. Ya 'ave to think strategically; but don't worry, I'll tell ya at what ya 'ave to aim in the beginnin'"

Newkirk motioned for Lilian to stand in front of the dart board, and he gave her the darts. "Now it's yer turn. Try to 'it the bull's eye"

Still unsure about how to play this game, Lilian positioned herself sideways in front of the board, just like he told her. She raised her hand and targeted at the board, when she turned around and asked, "Am I doing it correctly?"

Newkirk decided to take a chance. He moved closer to Lilian, and pointed at her hand. "May I?"

Lilian nodded, and Newkirk closed the remaining distance between them, his body now directly behind hers. He clasped her waist and gently brought her in the right position. He took a hold of her wrist, swaying back and forth. "Now yer standin' right. Just concentrate on the board"

When his body touched hers, it sent a shiver down Lilian's spine. She was able to scent his musky aftershave lotion from how close he was. When he touched her hips, her heart started to beat faster, and it was hard for her to concentrate on anything besides the warm feeling spreading in her stomach. It was the first time in nearly one year that the presence of a man made her feel comfortable. And when he whispered into her ear, his warm breath dancing across her skin, she thought her knees would buckle. Lilian felt completely secure with Newkirk, and she hoped this would not be the last time he made her feel like that. With Michael, she felt exactly the same in the beginning. But then he showed his true nature, and everything ended in a huge nightmare.

Lilian closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. She opened her eyes again, and threw the dart at the board. She missed the bull's eye, but hit the segment with 18 points.

" 'at was great!" exclaimed Newkirk. He stepped away from her and went to the board. "Ya are a natural"

* * *

They spent the rest of the evening playing darts and talking with each other. Suddenly, it was already half past eleven, and they decided to head for Lilian's flat. Newkirk helped Lilian in her coat and held the door open for her when they left the pub. It had started to snow slightly, and the temperature had dropped tremendously since they entered the pub.

"Blimey, it's cold," Newkirk said as he offered his arm to her, which Lilian thankfully accepted.

"Yeah, but at least it doesn't rain as it usually does"

They strolled through Stepney, making their way to Whitechapel. It was a twenty minute walk, which they used to talk some more.

"Say, why were you upset when your friends showed up earlier," asked Lilian curious. "Didn't you say this was your and your friends' local?"

Newkirk tensed up a bit, since he didn't know what to answer. He was sure that if he told her about his friends' bet, she would be angry with him, and maybe didn't go on another date with him.

Lilian noticed his tenseness, and said, "You don't have to tell me. I was just curious"

He decided it was best to be honest with her. "Ya know, when I told them about me plans on askin' ya out, they said I was barmy because a girl from Kensington would never go out with a broke bloke like me. So Luke suggested I should take ya to the pub, and then I would see 'ow ya ran away. 'e doesn't think 'igh of the upper class, ya know" He quickly added, "But ya 'ave to believe me 'at I did not only brought ya to the Red Lion's because of the bet. I really could not afford anythin' else this month. And I told them ya were not like those rich people we always see in the papers. But they didn't believe me. So I 'ad to prove it to them"

Newkirk prepared himself for her outburst, when he heard her chuckle. "And did I pass the test?"

Perplexed, yet at the same time relieved, he smiled. "Yeah, ya 'ave"

And that was an understatement. Newkirk was mesmerised by her, and this night had confirmed him in his belief to marry her someday. He just knew that she was the one for him, and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

* * *

They reached her flat faster than he liked, and they stopped in front of the building with her flat.

"I 'ad a great night, and I 'ope we could repeat it some day," Newkirk said.

He let go of her arm, and tucked his hands in his coat pocket.

"I hope that too, Peter. I didn't have this much fun in a long time," she smiled.

Newkirk looked to the ground. He was with many girls in the past, and he always kissed them on their first date. But now he was not so sure about it, because he wanted to be a perfect gentleman for Lilian, and impress her.

So he decided to be classy. "Would it be alright if I…kissed ya?"

Starting to blush, Lilian smiled sheepishly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, it would"

Newkirk grinned and moved closer to Lilian, wrapping his arms around her waist. He closed his eyes and tenderly pressed his lips on hers. She laid her hands on his shoulders, kissing back.

After a while, they broke apart and Newkirk softly said, "Goodnight, Lilian"

And with that and a smile on his face, he turned around and headed back to Stepney, never forgetting the feeling of her soft lips on his.


End file.
